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Groups forming to map, time economic recovery from COVID-19

VINELAND – First steps toward getting the regional economy moving toward something like normal are emerging at the local and county levels, and at least one effort will want input out of Cumberland County.

In Trenton, Gov. Phil Murphy has urged caution in trying to return to economic and social normalcy. The COVID-19 epidemic still presents more questions than answers as to when it can be pronounced finished.

Gerard Velazquez III, president of the Cumberland County Improvement Authority, hopes to be part of the task force. The CCIA is the county’s economic development agency and, locally, also assists the city of Millville.

“We have to be very careful about rushing to get back open,” Velazquez said Friday.

“It’s just a lot of unknowns right now,” he added. “It’s hard to make decisions when you don’t know exactly what’s going to happen. And I think that’s the biggest issue.”

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At present, he said, the focus has been on finding ways to lessen the impact of a steadily increasing number of executive orders and hastily passed laws that have forced many businesses to close and put residents out of work.

On a weekly basis, county and local officials, business owners and chambers of commerce have been holding tele-conferences with representatives of state and federal agencies.

“That’s been going real well,” Velazquez said. “Got a lot of good feedback and everyone can ask a question while they’re having a conversation with somebody who, as I said, is either a state director, a regional director, for these programs.”

Velazquez said state Sen. Michael Testa Jr., R-1, has been asked to take part in the next meeting. “Obviously, he could talk a little bit about what his ideas for this task force are, he said.

Velazquez said state and federal measures to fight the pandemic have not put the authority out of business. Its regular operations and projects are continuing, he said.

“Openings is a little scary from an economic development perspective,” Velazquez said. “Opening a half-filled restaurant is going to be a problem. Right? Turning tables is what you need to do if you’re a restaurant. So, trying to open up, when there’s certainly having limitations to how many people can be in your restaurant, is going to be a problem. That’s something to be considered.”

Velazquez said the meaning of “open” itself needs to be hashed through. A business that opens while customer access is under restrictions could be ruinous for owners and risky for employees, he said.

“Certainly, it’s going to have to open piece by piece,” he said. “I’m not sure how they’re going to do that. I’m guessing some of the service industries would go first. Car dealerships, those types, that have the ability to do more easily the social distancing. “

Velazquez said consumers also may not easily return to old habits, such as buying in stores instead of online.

“That’s the other piece to this whole puzzle, right?” Velazquez said. “Now, people have done things much, much differently. Toll booths, right? They got rid of all the toll collectors. What does that look like in the future?

“And then, people aren’t going to feel safe for some period of time,” he said. “Some people are going to feel safe tomorrow. Some people aren’t going to feel safe for another year."

Joe Smith is a Philly native transplanted to South Jersey more than 30 years ago. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer at The Daily Journal in Vineland. Have a news tip? Reach out at (856) 563-5252 or jsmith@thedailyjournal.com or follow me on Twitter, @jpsmith-dj. Help support local journalism with a subscription to The Daily Journal.